Stoke City v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[darren woolley]

1-1 Draw Benteke to get on the score sheet.

[l_mckay]

Time to get back on track after a poor few weeks,2-0 villa win. Benteke to finally get back on the score sheet and Delph to add a second.

[SoccerHQ]

I'd imagine Kozak will start this, Herd aswell if his injury recovers. Wouldn't shock me if Bowery did aswell.....he did play well up there last year.

Thinking a defence of Lowton......Herd....Clark.....Baker/Luna

                                Albrighton.....Delph.....Westwood....Bowery

                                            Kozak          Benteke

So many players woefully out of form in that or not good enough.

I can see this being the sort of game that's aimlessly drifting to 0-0 and then we'll fall asleep at a set piece with 5 minutes left and lose 1-0, bit like Fulham away last season.

Stoke are no great shakes though so I'd be hopeful for at least a point, I know they beat Chelsea recently but that was a fluke just like us beating Man. City was. 0-0s against Cardiff and Hull give more of an indication of where they're at.

Crouch is playing well for them as is one Stephen Ireland who can't play so that weakens their first 11.

[BoskoDjembaSalifou]

If Bowery starts, I'll be really annoyed. He doesn't even look good enough for Championship level FFS.

1-0 us, Delph with the goal.

[Chipsticks]

0-1, Lowton to score with a tap in from an Albrighton cross.

Save us Marc.

[Nelly]

I'd be over the moon at a draw and decent football played.

[dekko]

If Bowery starts, I'll be really annoyed. He doesn't even look good enough for Championship level FFS.

1-0 us, Delph with the goal.

Match prediction - Villa line up in an old fashioned 3-5-2 formation, but this time Jordan Bowery plays behind the two Centre Backs as a Libero, like in the great Italian teams of old.  He plays like a rock at the back and a dynamo going forward, driving the team on with his runs from deep, defence splitting through balls and 40-yard thunderbolt shots.  Thus Lambert's tactical genius is revealed to the world - 'J-Bowz' is in fact the bastard offspring of Franz Beckenbauer and Franco Baresi, transformed from a League 2 bench-warmer to a footballing collossus by the whiskey and haggis soaked hands of a mumbling Glaswegian.  Everyone feels bloody silly for wondering why we signed him.

[Smirker]

Win please.

6-0 Villa.

[The Left Side]

0-0

[Jimbo]

A Vlaar-less defence will be bullied here. 2-0 defeat.

[eastie]

                Guzan

Lowton, Herd , Clark, Baker

                 

       Westwood Delph

Albrighton   Weimann  Bacuna

                 Kozak.


2-2
Weimann, Kozak (2 Albrighton assists).

I would make one personnel change there - benteke in and weimann out .
Midfield of Delph Westwood and bacuna , front  three benteke, Kozak albrighton.

[Clampy]

I'd stick with the same back four as last week and keep people in their proper positions where possible. Herd is not a centre half for me and he shouldn't be replacing Vlaar.

[Richard E]

We're not at home and it's not live on Sky, which are the two factors which normally guarantee a defeat. As such, nailed on away win. 3-1 Villa, the Beast to rediscover his shooting boots. 

[paulcomben]

Stats show that Villa leak without Concrete: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/analysis-aston-villa-weak-foundations-6415644

[CJ]

I went for a win then realised Vlaar and Gabby out. I'll take a draw